Closure assembly with movable fluid applicator



Nov. 24, 1964 c. LEVY 3,157,905

CLOSURE ASSEMBLY WITH MOVABLE FLUID APPLICATOR Filed Aug. 9, 1963 FIG. 5

CAIZO L L L E VY INVENTOR.

W FIG'S AGENT United States Patent 3,157,905 CLGSURE ASSEMBLY WITH MGVABLE FLUID APPHCATGR Carol L. Levy, 115E Robert Lane, Wilmington, Del. Filed Aug. 9, 1963, Ser. No. 301,139 7 laims. (El. 15-517) This invention relates to closure assemblies for containers, said assemblies having fluid applicators as an integral part thereof. More specifically, this inventionrelates to closure assemblies having positionable fluid applicators as an integral part thereof.

It is an object of this invention to provide a closure assembly for containers having a threaded neck, said assembly to be engaged with the threaded neck of the aforementioned container, and having as an integral part a positionable fluid applicator. It is a further object of this invention to provide a closure assembly for a container with a threaded neck, said assembly having as an integral part thereof a positionable fluid applicator capable of being positioned within said container such that the position of the applicator relative to the container is not substantially affected by travel of the closure on the threaded neck of the container during rotation of the cap on the neck of the container to disengage it from the container. It is still a further object of this invention to provide a closure assembly for fluid containers having a threaded neck, said assembly having as an integral part thereof a fluid applicator capable of being positioned such that small amounts of fluid in the bottom of the container are accessible to the applicator when the closure and the threaded neck of the container are not engaged. It is a further object of this invention to provide a closure assembly for fluid containers having a threaded neck, said closure assembly having a positionable applicator as an integral part thereof, which is easily manufactured and simply assembled after forming of the parts. Other advantages of my invention will be apparent from the description given below.

This invention consists of a closure assembly comprising a cap which engages with the threaded neck of a container and an applicator sub-assembly which engages by threaded means with the cap and fits within an opening in said cap. The threads which affix the cap to the container and those which afix the cap to the applica tor sub-assembly have essentially the same lead and direction such that there is essentially no axial motion of the applicator relative to the container when the cap is rotated to be disengaged from the container.

The applicator sub-assembly comprises a handle, a threaded shaft, an essentially smooth surface applicator holder, and the applicator itself which is affixed to the applicator holder. The threaded shaft engages With the threads on the cap which define the perimeter of the opening in said cap.

The cap and applicator sub-assembly together comprise the closure assembly for the container. Neither the applicator sub-assembly nor the cap alone provide for closure of the container.

In the drawings FIGURE 1 is a drawing of a fluid container, such as is used in the cosmetics industry, with a closure assembly constructed according to the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a drawing of a fiuid container modified to accommodate one embodiment of the present invention, with a closure assembly constructed according to the present invention.

FIGURE 3 is a top view of the cap of the closure assembly of the present invention.

FIGURE 4 is a section of the cap of the present invention along the plane 44.

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FIGURE 5 is a cross-section of the applicator holder of FIGURE 2 along the plane 55.

The drawings show a container 21? having a threaded neck 20A engaged with the closure assembly of the present invention which comprises a cap 21 having threads 26 which engage with the threaded neck of the container, and an applicator sub-assembly comprising an applicator 25 and an applicator holder 24 on one side of a threaded shaft 23, and a handle 22 on the other side of the threaded shaft. A shoulder 22A is preferably provided on the handle to prevent the cap from disengaging from the applicator threaded shaft 23 while the applicator is in use. A second set of threads 27 on the cap, concentric with the first set of threads 26, define the perimeter of the opening in the center of the cap to accommodate the applicator threaded shaft 23.

One embodiment of the present invention comprises a closure assembly as described above in which the ap plicator holder has a non-circular cross-section 24A. By non-circular cross-section, it is meant a cross-section, the area of which is defined by at least two different dimensions. This embodiment is of specific utility when used with a container having aperture defining means within the container, said means defining an aperture through which the applicator holder can pass but in which it cannot turn.

In the use of the present invention, the handle 22 is rotated until the applicator 25 is at the desired level within the container 20. The cap 21 is then rotated to disengage it from the container 2% Threaded means on the applicator shaft 23 and cap 27 provide for the applicator 25 to remain in essentially the same position within the container during the rotation of the cap to disengage it from the container. External means may be applied to the handle to prevent rotation of the subassembly if the coefficient of friction is such that this is not achieved without such restraint. During the use of the applicator 25 the cap is engaged with the applicatod threaded shaft. To seal the container 20, the applicator 25 is inserted in the container 20 and the cap 21 is rotated to re-engage it with the threaded neck 20A of the container. The non-threaded applicator holder 24 provides for a smooth surface directly above the applicator 25 to prevent excessive retention of fluid on the holder which would interfere with the proper application of fluid by the applicator 25.

The ease of operation of this mechanism is dependent in part upon the coefi'icient of friction between the cap and the applicator sub-assembly. When the coeflicient of friction between the cap 21 and the threaded shaft 23 is high, external means may be used to prevent the rotation of the applicator sub-assembly 22, 23, 24, 25 with the cap during the disengagement of the cap 21 and the container 20. These may be applied to the handle 22 outside the container or within the container.

When restraining means 28 to prevent the rotation of the applicator sub-assembly with the cap are provided within the container as shown in FIGURE 2, the applicator holder is preferably of non-circular cross-section 24A. To position the applicator in this embodiment, the cap 21 is disengaged from the container 2% and the applicator sub-assembly is raised above the aperture de fining means within the container. The handle 22 is then rotated to extend or retract the applicator.

Such aperture defining means 28 within the container may be formed with the container as shown in FIGURE 2 or may be a separate manufacture for this purpose which seats on the edge of the neck of the container and extends Within the container to provide the desired aperture at the desired depth.

The applicator sub-assembly exclusive of the applicator may be fabricated from many pieces. However, it

is preferred that it be formed in one piece by conventional plastic molding techniques.

The lead of a screwithread is the distance a threaded part moves axially with respect to a fixed mating part in one revolution. The pitch of a screw thread is the distance between corresponding parts on adjacent thread forms measured parallel to the axis of the screw. In a Single Thread, the lead equals the pitch. In a Multiple Thread, however, the lead is an integer multiple of the pitch. Thus, it the same thread form is produced on two helices of the same cylinder 2. Double Thread is formed having a lead equal to twice the pitch.

The. closure assembly of the present invention may have the concentricsets of threads on the cap of different pitch and difierent value (Single, Double, etc.) but bothscts of threads must be of essentially the same lead and direction. The direction of a screw thread is the direction a screw thread must be turned for it to wind in a clockwise and receding direction when viewed axially.

The threaded means specifically described herein are illustrative only. Other geometries of threaded engagement will also provide for the proper operation of the present invention when the critical features hereinafter claimed are incorporated. It will be understood that many variations in structural detail are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

I claim:

1. A closure assembly for engaging with the threaded neck of a container, comprising a cap having two concentric sets of threads, the inner set of threads defining the perimeter of an aperture in said cap, and an applicator sub-assembly comprising a handle, threaded shaft for mounting said sub-assembly within the aperture in said cap and engaging it with the inner set of threads on said cap, applicator holder and applicator, the concentric sets of threads on the. cap each of essentially the same lead and the same direction such that rotation of the cap to disengage it from the container effects movement of the cap relative to the container without effecting substantial travel of the applicator sub-assembly relative to the container when the applicator handle is suitably restrained from rotation by external means.

2. The closure, assembly of claim 1 wherein the shoulder of the handle is of a cross-sectional dimension larger than the diameter of the aperture in said cap.

3. The closure assembly of claim 1 wherein the two 4.- concentric sets of threads on the cap are of the same pitch.

4. An article of manufacture for containing and dispensing fluids comprising a closure assembly for engaging with the threaded neck of a container, said assembly comprising a cap having two concentric sets of threads, the inner set of threads defining the perimeter of an aperture in said cap and an applicator sub-assembly comprising a handle threaded shaft for mounting said subassembly within the aperture in said cap and engaging it with the inner set of threads on said cap, an applicator holder of non-circular cross-section, and an applicator, in combination with a container having aperture defining means therein through which the applicator holder can pass but in which it cannot rotate, the concentric sets of threads on the cap being each of the same lead and direction such that rotation of the cap to disengage it from the container effects movement of the cap relative to the container without effecting substantial travel of the applicator sub-assembly relative to the container.

5. A closure assembly for engaging with the threaded neck of a container, comprising a cap having two concentric sets of threads, the inner set of threads defining the perimeter of an aperture in said cap, and an applicator sub-assembly comprising a handle, threaded shaft for mounting said sub-assembly within the aperture in said cap and engaging it with the inner set of threads on said cap, applicator holder and applicator, the concentric sets of threads on the cap each of essentially the same lead and the same direction, the coetficient of friction between said threads being such that rotation of the cap to disengage it from the container effects movement of the cap relative to the container without effecting substantial travel of the application sub-assembly relative to the container.

6. The closure assembly of claim 5 wherein the two concentric sets of threads on the cap are of the same pitch. 7

7. The closure assembly of claim 5 wherein the shoulder of the handle is of a cross-sectional dimension larger than the diameter of the aperture in said cap.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CLOSURE ASSEMBLY FOR ENGAGING WITH THE THREADED NECK OF A CONTAINER, COMPRISING A CAP HAVING TWO CONCENTRIC SETS OF THREADS, THE INNER SET OF THREADS DEFINING THE PERIMETER OF AN APERTURE IN SAID CAP, AND AN APPLICATOR SUB-ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A HANDLE, THREADED SHAFT FOR MOUNTING SAID SUB-ASSEMBLY WITHIN THE APERTURE IN SAID CAP AND ENGAGING IT WITH THE INNER SET OF THREADS ON SAID CAP, APPLICATOR HOLDER AND APPLICATOR, THE CONCENTRIC SETS OF THREADS ON THE CAP EACH OF ESSENTIALLY THE SAME LEAD AND THE SAME DIRECTION SUCH THAT ROTATION OF THE CAP TO DISENGAGE IT FROM THE CONTAINER EFFECTS MOVEMENT OF THE CAP RELATIVE TO THE CONTAINER WITHOUT EFFECTING SUBSTANTIAL TRAVEL OF THE APPLICATOR SUB-ASSEMBLY RELATIVE TO THE CONTAINER WHEN THE APPLICATOR HANDLE IS SUITABLY RESTRAINED FROM ROTATION BY EXTERNAL MEANS. 